Loss of service during power outage

[John Youles]

There have been power cuts in my area (Norwich) over the last few days. I am concerned that the phone line (ntl) immediately went dead. Surely there should be some form of battery backup ? My neighbours on BT do not have this problem. Luckily I have a mobile, had I not I would have not been able to make or receive calls in an emergency.

I am surprised that providing a service during a power cut is not a condition of the operating licence.

[Rob]

I would have thouht that phone should normally keep going. Maybe though ntl aren't aware that whatever backup system they thouhgt was in place didn't work. Have you reported this to them?

[John Youles]

Yes, I reported it to NTL. I also phoned Ofcom who didn't seem interested.

[handyman]

Originally Posted by John Youles

There have been power cuts in my area (Norwich) over the last few days. I am concerned that the phone line (ntl) immediately went dead. Surely there should be some form of battery backup ? My neighbours on BT do not have this problem. Luckily I have a mobile, had I not I would have not been able to make or receive calls in an emergency.

I am surprised that providing a service during a power cut is not a condition of the operating licence.

Was it a powered phone? cordless etc?

[John Youles]

I use a normal phone powered from the phone line. The line was DEAD (cue the parrot sketch) until the power came back on.

[Rhyming Obituary]

You don't live anywhere near to an army barracks do you? I know some people I've spoken to who do lose power when the barracks experiences a powercut.

Usually its because the cab has to be tied into the grid of a place such as that, that power wise, has to be self contained.

[John Youles]

No, I live in a suburb to the north of Norwich. Several streets were without power for up to about an hour and a half each time.

[Jefferson T]

As I understand it there is SUPPOSED to be a backup.... Considering the number of heafty battries in cabs I'd hope so.